Christian s



(No Model.)

0. s. BYRKIT. BOOK HOLDER.

Patented Jan. 3, 1893.

Km emY ak, a 8 W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTIAN S. BYRKIT, OF DES MOINES, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LEW C.SMITH, OF SAME PLACE.

BOOK-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 488,983, dated January3, 1893. Application filed December 21, 1891- Serial No. 415,831. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN S. BYRKIT, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State ofIowa, have invented an Improved Portable Book-Holder, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My object is to provide a simple, light, convenient and cheap bookholder adapted to to support a book closed, when not in use, and open atthe side of a person seated in a chair as required to facilitate the useof the book for reference or for reading.

My invention consists in the device com- I 5 posed of parts permanentlyconnected as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claim, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is aperspective view of myinvention showing the adjustable parts in positionas required to hold a book when closed. Fig. 2 is a corresponding viewshowing it in an open position. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional viewshowing the position of one of the hinged wings supported in a verticalposition by means of a gravitating latch pivoted thereto, and the otherhinged wing in a horizontal position and the latch pivoted thereto inposition as required to brace the wing to support a book in an openposition. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the latches.

A represents a stand, preferably composed of three pieces to produce alight tripod, and connected at their contiguous central por- 3 5 tionsby means of a block and screws, as shown, or in any suitable Way, andconnected at their tops by means of wooden boards B and O fixed theretoin parallel position and pieces of molding D and D fixed on top of theboards and also in parallel position to produce a platform adapted tosupport a book. It is immaterial whether the top composed of the piecesB and C is in two parts or one. WVhen a single piece of board is usedslots or 5 openings are provided in its end portions to admit the endsof latches as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. To the stand and base thusconstructed wooden wings Nos. 1 and 2 corresponding in size and shapewith the covers of a book are hinged to the outer edges of the parallelcross-piecesD andD in such amanher, that they can be readily adjusted toproject in vertical planes to clasp a closed book, and also turned downto extend in horizontal planes to support an open book. To each 5 hingedwing is pivoted, on the outside and central portion thereof,agravitating latch II that has a shoulder J extending across one side atits lower end and adapted to engage the inner edge of the board B asrequired to retain the wing ina vertical position. On the inner edge andlower portion of the latches are shoulders K adapted to engage the outeredges of the cross pieces D and D when the wings are in a horizontalplane, as shown by the position of one of the wings and latches in Fig.3. A simple portable device is thus provided that can be readilyadjusted as required to support an open book or to retain a book closedand supported in a convenient position for opening and using the bookwithout handling it. In placing a book upon the support the back of thebook is extended between the two parallel oross pieces D and D and thehinged wings and then retained there, 7 5 open or closed as may bedesired.

I claim as my invention- An improved portable book holder, comprising astand having a flat top and openings in the end portions of the top toadmit 8c latches, wings hinged in parallel position across the centralportion of the fiat top, a latch pivoted to the under side and centralportion of each wing and provided with a shoulder at the side of itsbottom or free end adapted to engage the edge of an opening in the fixedtop, and a shoulder at its bottom and inner edge also adapted to engagea portion of the fixed top, in the manner set forth for the purposesstated.

V O. S. BYRKIT. Witnesses:

A. L. CARPER, D. W. JOHNSON.

